Internet profile sites, a type of social networking, have become a more dangerous source of sex-related crime for children than dating Web sites, the National Police Agency said Thursday.

In 2008, 792 children under 18 became victims of sex-related crimes such as pornography and prostitution as a result of using profile sites. The figure surpassed the 724 children who became sex-crime victims after accessing Net dating sites, the agency said.

For the first time, the NPA looked at profile sites and other social networking sites in terms of the possibility of their use for illegal sex services.